"Protests, Seditions, and Hitting at the Necks"

"Protests, Seditions, and Hitting at the Necks"

by Katleah Iskre Ulrike

"HIT AT THE HEAD AND AT THE NECK!" These are the words the commandant said to the members of the riot police during the long week protests yesterday. As most of them were in full battle gear maintaining their lines while their counterparts having an activity in Bustillos, near Mendiola in the capital city of Manila.

The protesters were somehow wanted to have a campout in Mendiola as it inspired from the Occupy protests in Wall Street, Oakland, and those in Europe. The protests was somehow peaceful as marches, chants and event a moment of speeches hath been done; however the truncheon-welding policemen gave them a smash plus a water cannon to fire as protesters tried to advance over near the "Gates of Hell" that is, Mendiola. Most tend to resist the beating and the water cannon, some are even arrested that they're been charged with harassment and even damage to property. One policeman even told that the protests ought to be charged with sedition as it calls for the ouster of President Aquino, only to be responded with ridicule as most tend to call it contrary to their freedom such those of to assemble, speech and expression; worse, the commandant issued an order to disperse them directly: Hit at the head and at the neck! as he said.

To others, it would meant restoring order as they hated mass actions especially those of rallies. They even afford to say that it's better to occupy a toilet seat than to rage against the system such those of Occupy Wall Street and this time Occupy Mendiola. It also somehow meant barbarism as the order itself wanted to create violence and be blamed upon to those who chant "peace, land and bread" for everyone, and be filed for charges such as harassment, damage to property, and even sedition with the latter merely based on posts on Facebook, as it said:

"Occupy Mendiola will lead to an uprising against the Aquino administration.When asked about their sources, they say that intel officers culled it from statues and posts in Facebook."

But speaking of that, the posts in Facebook are just expressions and somehow it mirrors the will of the poverty-striken people, why to deal it seriously? If so, how come those who chanted all out war in Mindanao, of those getting nostalgic over Martial rule aren't been persecuted? So weird that the system itself showed its bipolar character to everyone, of playing good and bad in pursuit of maintaining its own control and prestiege in the entire country. Yes, that most presidents tend to do so as leaders especially during 1972. Marcos did good infrastructure, but on the other hand he imposed an oppressive rule including those of long hairs being cropped by policemen "for decency" and having a long bicycle ride for hours because of making a satire out of one of the mottos of the New Society? So is the events today, that criticizing the state and of expressing hard to the core are tantamount to sedition!

Anyway, it is the system who imposes laws.
They even know how to circumvent Constitutional provisions as everyone sees it paving way to such issuance like those of hitting head and neck of those who oppose against their bosses' wishes. UP Student Regent Krissy Conti even made a writeup and it said:

"Charging protesters with inciting to sedition or to rebellion, or with the definite crimes of sedition or rebellion would then be part of a grand plan to squelch the demonstrations. This is as if the threat of prosecution or a criminal record will prevent any of us from coming back to Mendiola, or finding someplace else...But imagine what a challenge it would be if we were truly seditious –  if we had brought guns and bats instead of placards and tents, if we instructed chemistry students to make molotovs, if we hated Aquino only because he was bald and love-less, if we had invited everyone to march into Malacañang instead of to a concert along Mendiola."

Sounds like the First Quarter Storm regarding Molotovs, guns, and bats Student Regent Conti had said, but naturally speaking lucky that the activists know how to restrain themselves and instead carrying flags, placards and tents; and if not they would resort to the same action similar to 1971 the year when students afford to take over the fire truck and ram over the gates of Malacanang while some ought to pelt stones and throw pillboxes and Molotovs over Metrocom.

Anyway, the message what the policeman said, being overheard by someone else, unveiled something that would create a problem affecting the Police.